Taiwanese Braised Pork Belly

Ingredients:

• 1 lb of pork belly; cut into strips

• 5 cloves of garlic; minced

• 1 tbsp of white sugar

• 2 tsbp light soy sauce

• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce

• 2 tbsp Shaoxin cooking wine

• 1/2 tsp of Chinese 5 Spice

• 1/4 tsp of white pepper

• 5 dried shiitake mushrooms; rehydrated and diced

  • Rehydrate dried mushrooms by fully submerging them in hot water for about 20-30 minutes. Save the water you soak them in!

• 1 tbsp of fried shallots (store bought from your local Asian store, but if you cannot find them, fried onions will also work)

In a hot Dutch oven, add your pork belly (with no oil) and cook until the pork starts to brown. Add in your sugar and your minced garlic and mix. Cook until the sugar fully dissolves and the garlic is super fragrant.

Add in the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxin cooking wine, Chinese 5 Spice, white pepper and shiitake mushrooms. Mix well until everything is fully coated.

Remember that dried shiitake mushroom water you so conveniently saved? No is the time to use it! Add your mushroom water to the Dutch oven and add an additional water so you just cover the pork. Bring everything to a boil, reduce your heat, cover and let cook for about 1 hour.

Your sauce should fully reduce and the pork belly should be tender.

Serve with fresh white rice, scallions (optional) and a steamed or sautéed veg like bok choy or green beans (also options, but you know, greens!)